1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sound output control device, which is configured to cause an external device to start one of applications for sound output, and which is further configured to process audio data streamed from the external device.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, there has been provided a technique for streaming audio data (e.g., music data) to an in-vehicle apparatus from a modern cellular phone, which typically has multiple applications such as a media player, a terrestrial digital TV application, a radio application, a game application and the like.
JP-2008-283569A discloses a configuration for connecting devices to each other by using Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP), which is one of profiles defined in the Bluetooth (registered trademark, also referred to hereinafter as BT) communications standards.
The inventor of the present application has studied a configuration for connecting devices to each other by using the AVRCP. Discussion is given below on such configuration as a related art. It is assumed that an in-vehicle apparatus receives audio data transferred from a cellular phone. By using the AVRCP ver. 1.4 (referred to hereinafter as AVRCP 1.4), the in-vehicle apparatus can acquire application information on multiple applications installed in the cellular phone. However, a technique for the in-vehicle apparatus, after acquiring the application information, to automatically select a most suitable application to be started in the cellular phone has not been established. It is thus difficult for in-vehicle apparatus to optimally process the audio data streamed from the cellular phone. Moreover, unless the technique for automatically selecting a most suitable application to be started in the cellular phone is not established, a user is required to manually select the most suitable application. In such cases, operability is disadvantageously low.